VSU Offers Free Tax Help for Locals
Need help filing your taxes, but don't want (or can't afford) to hire an accountant? The Virginia State University Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program might be just what you're looking for.
For the 37th year in a row, VSU accounting students are teaming up with the IRS to offer free income tax preparation and filing assistance to individual and joint filers in the Tri-Cities area. Created to help low-income and elderly residents in the Tri-Cities area navigate tax season, the VITA program is open to individual or joint filers with an income of $73,000 or below.
"We are extremely thankful to continue our longstanding partnership with the IRS to provide this much-needed service," said Dr. Theodore R. Andrews, Jr., Assistant Professor of Accounting and VITA Manager, in a VSU news release. "This program not only benefits the community but also provides valuable hands-on experience for VSU students, who will gain practical skills in tax preparation and client communication."
So far, around 300 people have signed up for the program this year, Dr. Andrews told The Progress-Index, although he is hoping that more people will sign up before the deadline on April 7th. There is no cap to how many people can participate. "We'd love to help as many people as possible," said Andrews. "Don't pay $300 or $400 for something simple when you can come get it done here for free."
There are 21 accounting students in total participating in the program, 13 of whom are doing so as part of a graded course and 8 of whom are volunteers. Ultimately, the long-term goals of the program are twofold, Dr. Andrews told The Progress-Index: Generating a social impact and creating greater tax literacy.
"My rule for students to participate in the program is that you have to have an overwhelming commitment to being a change agent. You have to do it from your heart," said Andrews. "We don't just do your taxes, we also talk to you about how your situation can be made better moving forward. So we do more than just mechanically prepare returns."
"We're just happy to be able to help," Jharita Loveless, 22, told The Progress-Index. Loveless is a VSU accounting student participating in VITA and Dr. Andrews' office manager.
"That's always been a passion of mine — giving back — so it's been really great. Helping those who don't have the luxury to go to somebody and pay them to prepare their taxes has definitely been the most valuable part of this program."
Jaylen Moore, 22 — also an accounting student participating in the program — expressed similar sentiments. Moore lives an hour away from VSU, but says he enjoys the program so much that he doesn't mind the commute.
"I really like it. It's something new to learn, we get to meet a lot of new people who come in with a really positive attitude, and it's been a pretty good experience," said Moore. "I don't mind driving out here to help out because it's not only been a great experience but I've really enjoyed helping out people in the community."
If he didn't live an hour away, Moore added, he would have brought his own family members in to get their taxes done.
Louis Battisti, 70, participated in VITA for the first time last year, and is doing so again this year. He tells everyone he can about the program, he told The Progress-Index. People are "paying $300 to get their taxes done, but I got it for free at the college," said Battisti. "It was just as easy last year. You come in, you sit down, you give them your paperwork, they handled it like that. It was excellent."
To participate in the program, residents must drop off their tax information and a valid form of identification in Singleton Hall, room 333, on the VSU campus. (Near the intersection of University Avenue and Boisseau Street, Singleton Hall can be located as building #41 on this map.) If program participants have mobility issues, they can also call ahead to arrange for someone to meet them at their car in the parking lot outside of Singleton Hall to complete their intake form and accept their documentation.
The site will be staffed three days a week through April 7th, 2024 (the last day to register for the VITA program), including Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., except on days when the University is closed. After documentation is dropped off, a VITA program worker will call clients to go over their tax return. The return will be filed electronically via the IRS E-file system after it is picked up and approved by the taxpayer.
For more information, please contact Dr. Andrews at (804) 504-7079 or Ms. Bertha Morgan at the VSU Accounting and Finance Department at (804) 524-5842.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: VSU Offers Free Tax Help for Locals
